The main goal of dentistry is to preserve your natural teeth and keep them healthy for as long as possible. There are times, however, when it is in your best interest to have a tooth extracted. This could be the case for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you have a tooth that has been severely damaged by trauma or decay, a fractured root, an infection, or an impacted wisdom tooth that may cause trouble for you in the future.

Whether we’re removing one problem tooth, a set of wisdom teeth, or all teeth in preparation for dentures, we strive to give you the best experience possible. Tooth extractions are always carried out with local anesthesia, which will numb the teeth to be removed and the surrounding bone and gum tissues. Some patients elect to use additional levels of sedation, including nitrous oxide, oral sedatives, or IV conscious sedation. We are proud to offer any extent of sedation necessary for your comfort with the procedure. Learn more about the various options on our informational Sedation page.

When a functional tooth is removed, it is important to consider tooth replacement for a variety of reasons, which may include function, protection of other remaining teeth, bone preservation, and esthetics. At your diagnostic appointment, we will discuss your specific situation, and provide you with options to consider, along with the risks and benefits of your available options. Of utmost importance to us is your ability to have all of the information you need in order to make an informed decision on what is best for you.

When planning your tooth removal with you, some considerations that we may discuss, all dependent on your specific situation, are:

• Bone grafting with biocompatible materials to allow for optimal bone formation in the extraction site.

• Fixed tooth replacement options, meaning that the teeth are anchored into your mouth and you don’t ever remove them.
• For a single missing tooth, or a few missing teeth, options could include implants or bridges.
• For a whole arch or whole mouth of missing teeth, a completely fixed option could be a Hybridge.

• Removable replacement options, meaning that the replacement teeth are removable and you take them out when sleeping at night.
• For situations missing all teeth, options could include conventional dentures or “snap in” implant supported dentures (some people refer to these as “All on 4’s”).
• For situations with multiple missing teeth, but some good teeth remaining to serve as anchors, an option could be a partial, also known as a removable partial denture.